On Tattered Wings
by Lone Wulffe
Summary: Seeking vengeance, a girl finds herself travelling to Fenrir's Far East Branch. But in the country once called the Land of the Rising Sun, what she ends up finding may just be hope instead. An exploration of God Eater Burst's story through the eyes of Alisa Ilinichina Amiella, with some eventual Alisa/Yuu.
1. Prologue

DISCLAIMER: I don't own God Eater Burst (I refuse to call the game by its stupid Western release title, okay?) although I dearly wish I did.

* * *

_If you still hold feelings for someone_

_Even though your wings have become tattered_

_You can fly away no matter what pain you might face_

_You can get it over_

_Over the clouds_

- alan, Over the clouds

There are a number of things that are getting on her nerves right now but waiting, Alisa decides with a barely restrained sigh of irritation, is proving to be the worst of the lot right now.

The armlet adorning her right wrist that marks her as a God Eater is making her arm tingle with an itch too faint to warrant scratching yet detectable enough to be a nuisance, and the noise of the machinery and crew working around her is amplifying the headache she's been nursing for the past few days into a rhythmic pounding that's driving her up the wall.

She presses her palm against her forehead, futilely wishing it would all just _go away_ when a voice drags her attention back to reality and away from the pain radiating through her entire skull.

"Are you feeling alright, Alisa?" Dr Oguruma asks with the same quiet concern he has shown her since he was first assigned to her case. She wants to tell him in a rather colourful manner that no, she isn't, but she grits her teeth and keeps that answer from escaping her lips; the man has been kind to her throughout the time she's known him, and as irritated as she is, she has some manners after all.

"I'm fine," she bites out instead, letting her displeasure colour her voice, "but how much longer before our plane arrives? We've been waiting for nearly an hour!" To say that she is impatient would be a grave understatement; her objective lies in another country - that specific country - and if transferring to Fenrir's Far East Branch will help her achieve it, she has few objections. The speed at which this transfer is being done, however, could do with a boost.

The doctor lights his cigarette and lets it burn awhile before answering. "I was informed that it got slightly delayed due to turbulent weather, but it'll be here in a few minutes," he puffs out the words along with a cloud of smoke, and Alisa adds the smell of nicotine to the list of things aggravating her headache-

_thescreamsbonesandfleshbeingbrokenandtornTHOSEEYES _

The world snaps back into place without warning, and the girl finds herself gasping raggedly for air, her hands clenched so tight she feels her nails digging into her palms. Fortunately her latest episode has gone unnoticed by the old man, and the sound of the plane arriving at long last is a welcome distraction from the train wreck that is her mind.

Finally, she thinks, the sole reason she became a God Eater can be realised. Now all she has to do is focus on finding and killing _that_ Aragami, nothing more, nothing less, and she swears darkly that she will accomplish it or die trying.

* * *

And so one of my more ambitious fics begins. I'm writing this as I play the game (I am once again late to the party), which means I may be a little off in characterisation due to the fact that whatever I know right now is what's written in the wiki. As such, please let me know if I've made some sort of factual error, but also please allow me a little creative liberty with certain things.

Last but not least: Following in the spirit of how I approach other "name your protagonist" games, I've decided to use the manga name Kannagi Yuu for the esteemed Leader. It's not what I named mine, of course, but having read the manga I've gotten a little fond of it.

**EDIT:** Having played further into the game, I realised that I made a few errors, namely about Alisa's relationship with Oguruma and her knowledge of the location of the Aragami that killed her parents, so I have made a few corrections to this chapter.


	2. Chapter 1: First Impressions

Author's Note: A quick thank you to barroowii2 for reviewing and generally motivating me to work a little faster on this. Reviews aren't my sole motivation for writing, but it's always nice to know someone enjoys reading what I've come up with. To CloudBloodbane, I share your pain; the drop rates are downright cruel, but I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the game (and my fic) as well.

* * *

Upon their landing, they are greeted by a black-haired woman in a white outfit holding a clipboard, and from her sharp eyes and stern look Alisa already knows she is not one to be messed with.

"I take it you're the New-Type from Russia, Alisa Amiella, correct?" the imposing figure asks by way of greeting, and at Alisa's nod of affirmation she turns towards the other person to arrive from Russia.

"Dr Daigo Oguruma," the old man offers with a small bow. "As you already know from the files we sent ahead, Alisa needs special treatment on a daily basis, and I am her primary doctor."

"Yes, I received the notification on the special circumstances," she acknowledges before turning back to Alisa. "My name is Amamiya Tsubaki, and I'm both the supervisor of this branch's 1st to 3rd units as well as the advisor for new recruits. You will be assigned to the 1st unit, so that makes you one of my responsibilities on both counts. Any questions?"

Alisa shakes her head. "None, ma'am."

At this short pause in the conversation, Dr Oguruma speaks up. "I will take my leave then, if I may. I have to make the necessary arrangements with your medical staff," he states with a bow that Tsubaki responds to with a slight nod.

"Very well. Follow me and I'll get you acquainted with your future teammates," the woman gestures with her clipboard once the doctor has walked off. The ensuing lift ride feels too short yet too long at the same time, and before long Alisa finds herself looking at the people she will be fighting alongside for the rest of her foreseeable future.

They're the sorriest bunch of misfits she's ever laid eyes on. But at least the older woman seems okay. For now, anyway.

"I have an introduction to make," Tsubaki announces to the ragtag group assembled before her. "This is a New-Type recruit; she'll be joining your ranks today."

That's her cue, and she adopts the most formal tone she can muster. "Nice to meet you. My name is Alisa Ilinichina Amiella. As of 1200 hours today, I've been transferred here from the Russia Branch."

Predictably, the one she's pegged as the loud-mouthed idiot is the first to say anything. "Hey, girls are more than welcome here anytime!" he exclaims excitedly.

"I'm amazed that you've survived so long around here with that frivolous attitude," she fires back dismissively, doing her best to not let her satisfaction show when the boy visibly deflates with a startled "Huh?" On the edge of her peripheral vision, the brown-haired guy valiantly hides a bemused smile while the hooded one lets out a barely audible snort at the exchange.

Tsubaki cuts in before things get any further, however. "She doesn't have much experience in actual combat, but her scores in the stimulated battle were quite stellar. You'd better train hard, or she'll soon surpass you," she tells the loud guy.

"Y-yes, ma'am," he mumbles dejectedly, and Alisa barely has time to stomp out the urge to smirk before the woman turns her attention back to her. "Alisa, I want you to serve under Lindow's supervision," indicating the carefree-looking man standing off to the side. "Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," she answers quickly. Satisfied, Tsubaki shifts her gaze to the man she called Lindow. "Lindow, I need to hand off some documents to you, so come with me." She moves as if to start walking away before stopping and turning back to look at the entire group. "The rest of you can go back to your quarters. That's all," she dismisses them before marching off towards the lift with Lindow following behind her.

"Hey, hey... so you're from Russia?" Oh gods, it's the idiot running his mouth again. "Isn't it freezing over there? Oh, but I guess with all the global warming these days, the temperatures are getting higher..."

"Kota," the brown-haired guy chides as he claps a hand on the overly energetic boy, "don't you think you're getting a bit too ahead of yourself there?"

The boy - Kota - does a double-take at the interjection. "Huh? I am?"

At that, the other guy shakes his head in a resigned manner before turning to address her. "I'm sorry, we're still trying to drill some manners into him," he tells her with a bemused smile as Kota sputters out an indignant "Hey!" at his statement that is promptly ignored.

"You've introduced yourself, but we still haven't. As you now know, he's Kota, the one brooding over there-" he points over his shoulder to the still-silent hooded figure, "-is Soma, Sakuya here is our team sniper and medic-" he gestures towards the woman who waves in greeting, "-and I'm Yuu," he finishes with a smile. "On behalf of our leader Lindow, welcome to the 1st unit."

He's polite, at the very least, so she decides to be at least civil with him. "Thank you. I look forward to working with all of you." She throws a glance at the still demoralised Kota. "Except maybe him."

Yuu lets out a soft laugh as said person slumps even further, if that was even possible. "You didn't have to say that..." he mutters, earning him a sympathetic clap on the back from a smiling Sakuya.

"I wish we had time to sit down and get to know each other properly, Alisa," the woman apologises, "but we have a mission scheduled in a couple of hours and we need to get prepared. Yuu-"

"I'll walk her to our section of the base since I need to go back to my room anyway, so no worries," the guy finishes, earning him a "thank you" before everyone else but the two of them shuffles off to their own destinations. He turns to her and nods his head towards the lift. "Shall we?"

The lift doors are about to start closing when a feminine voice breaks the silence. "Hold up! Hold the lift!" Somewhat startled, Alisa finds herself capable of little more than staring when a pink-haired girl dashes into the lift, barely missing being crushed by the now closed doors. Panting, the new arrival looks up with gratitude in her eyes only to seemingly panic at the sight of Alisa's companion.

"Yuu! Listen, I know I've said it a hundred times-" she starts hurriedly only to be cut off with a wave - and was that a grimace? - from the guy. "Kanon, you've practically apologised a thousand times now," he sighs. "I told you, I forgive you and it's fine."

"Still, I'm sorry for, you know..." she gestures embarrassedly, "nearly blowing you up that one mission." Alisa's eyes widen at that admission as she continues staring mutely. "And again, I'm so sorry I accidentally sent you that mail-"

"Kanon," Yuu interjects resignedly, "you're being a little rude, you know."

"Huh?" It is only then that the apparently friendly fire-prone girl seems to notice Alisa. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Where are my manners? Name's Kanon," she offers somewhat uselessly as she gives her a sheepish smile, "and you must be the New-Type from Russia. Alisa, right?"

"Nice to meet you," Alisa responds warily. From the sounds of it, this girl is bad news on the battlefield, and she wonders how her teammates have been able to survive so far, if they have at all. Thankfully, she's saved from speaking any more to this dangerous girl as the lift shudders to a halt and the doors slide open.

"Oh, this is my stop," Kanon announces as she skips out of the lift. "See you around, Alisa! It's not very likely since we're in different units, but maybe we'll go on a mission together sometime!" she calls out as the doors close.

'Not if I'm lucky,' Alisa finds herself thinking.

The rest of the trip to her new quarters does not help improve her opinion of her fellow God Eaters; every person they run into is questionable on some level, and by the time they reach her room she can't hold back anymore.

"I wish I didn't have to ask this right after arriving, but do the people here lack self-awareness?" she asks Yuu incredulously, and the question seems to take him completely by surprise as he swivels his head to stare at her before bursting out in laughter.

"So you've noticed how... unique... our little group is," he musters out the sentence between dying chuckles, and really, Alisa thinks his problem is he's not taking any of this seriously at all. "I'm sure you'll find out eventually, but they're all pretty reliable when the time calls for it." He pauses as if in deliberation before leaning in slightly. "Except maybe Kanon, but don't tell her I said that or she'll really blow me up next time," he mock-whispers to her conspiratorially. Yes, definitely not taking this seriously at all.

"Jokes aside," he continues, sporting that same warm smile again, "everyone here will have your back on and off the battlefield, and our top priority is that everyone comes back in one piece at the end of the day. Oh, and since the two of us are the only New-Types in the Far East branch right now, feel free to ask me for help or anything if you need. I'm far from being an expert or anything, but I'll do my best to help out any way I can," he offers.

"I don't need your help," she rebuffs him coldly, but if he's affronted by her tone he doesn't show it. "Alright. Still, the offer stands," he answers calmly. "Your stuff should be inside so use this time to get settled. I have to go get ready for our mission now, but it should be a quick one. Dr Sakaki, our Aragami Technology Department's Chief Supervisor wants to see both of us and Kota in his office after that. If you're not sure where to go, wait for me to come back and we'll go together."

"I'll find my own way there, thanks," she answers, and it irritates her a little that her somewhat chilly response only cause his lips to quirk to form a small smile and his blue eyes to shine with bemusement. "Okay then, I'll see you later," he waves as he jogs off.

Incomprehensible person.

-xXx-

Dr Sakaki's summons turns out to be for a lesson on Aragami, and while Alisa does think it's a rather long-winded speech, that doesn't excuse Kota falling asleep during it. Granted, he did just come back from a mission, but seeing as Yuu is fully attentive she doesn't think he should be allowed to get away with snoring throughout the lecture.

"Ugh... Mom, I can't eat anymore..." the boy mutters in his sleep as Dr Sakaki stares down at him with a look that could only be described as exasperation. To her left, she hears Yuu let out a sound that seems suspiciously like muffled laughter.

"Really! He has no sense of duty whatsoever," she says crossly only for Yuu to smother a slightly louder laugh into a cough before reaching over to slap Kota's arm, causing the dozing boy to emerge from his slumber.

Having regained the attention of his audience, the scientist resumes speaking. "Listen people, have you ever heard the term 'Nova's Devouring Apocalypse'?"

The question catches all of them a little by surprise, but Alisa answers first. "Yes... after the Aragami battle among themselves, the extinction of humankind is triggered by Nova, an entity grown so huge that it can swallow up the entire planet."

Dr Sakaki smiles appreciatively, seemingly pleased that at least someone has done their homework, and Alisa feels a spark of pride flare up in her chest. "Exactly. No one even knows who first spoke of this event, and some people have dismissed it as an idle rumour."

Kota cuts in then. "But once the Aegis Project is completed, we'll be safe from even that," he responds with confidence.

The older man turns his attention to the boy at his words. "Do you know what kind of animal a dog is?" he asks out of the blue.

"Huh?" Blindsided by the seemingly unrelated question, Kota is at a loss for words. Alisa doesn't blame him - if it had been her, she wouldn't have been able to come up with a proper response either. Not that she'd ever admit that.

Seemingly unconcerned with the lack of an answer from anyone, Dr Sakaki resumes speaking. "Their numbers are quickly dwindling, but even now you can see some dogs existing around the Outer Ghetto. Dogs are intelligent; they may not be able to speak or understand specific words, but they can communicate with humans. If an Aragami takes on the qualities of a dog, then perhaps we can find a way to co-exist."

The last word catches Alisa's attention. "Co-exist?" she echoes numbly, her thoughts grinding to a halt.

"Of course," he continues, having seemingly not noticed the change in her demeanour, "from a communication standpoint, we're not limited to dogs. Long ago you could watch an animal tamer manipulate wild beasts in a tent called a circus."

This is starting to become ridiculous; the man has to be some sort of deranged mad scientist. "But there's no way that we can ever get along with Aragami..." she trails off bitterly, an old familiar pain twisting deep inside her.

Silence reigns in the room for a while before a clap dispels the suffocating atmosphere. "Alright, that's enough for today's lesson," Dr Sakaki announces. "The two of you-" he looks pointedly at Kota and Yuu, "-get some rest. Alisa, I've been told that Dr Oguruma is expecting you in medical. Now run along, all of you," he dismisses them with a wave of his hand and they obediently file out of his office.

"Hey." Having walked out preoccupied with her own thoughts, she is startled back to reality by the sound of Yuu's voice. Kota has wandered off ahead, leaving the two of them alone in the empty corridor.

"Are you okay?" he asks her, concern evident in his voice and on his face. "You seemed a little... upset back there at what Dr Sakaki said. And this Dr Oguruma-"

"It's none of your business," she snaps at him, feeling even more irritated that there is no sense of satisfaction when her sharp response causes him to blink in surprise before holding his palms up in surrender.

"I didn't mean to pry," he apologises, and for some reason the sincerity of his response irritates her even more. "Just so you know, Lindow will most likely have a mission for us tomorrow, so get some rest yourself, okay?" With that, he runs off and leaves her standing there alone. Alisa pushes away the feeling before making her way to her own destination; she doesn't need to fit in and she certainly doesn't need anyone being... _kind_ to her.

* * *

And chapter 1 is done. I haven't written something this long in a long while, so I hope this turned out okay. Hopefully this has helped remove the rust that's coated my writing skills and I'll be able to churn out chapter 2 a little faster than the snail's pace I took with this chapter.


	3. Chapter 2: Combat and Conflict

Author's Note: As always, thank you to my reviewers for your continued or newly-voiced support. To rydia3791 and IronShounen, I'm glad to hear you approve; I was especially nervous about whether I'd captured Alisa's characterisation properly, especially her early "self", and my concern moving forward is getting the transition right as well.

* * *

As it turns out, Yuu is right: the two of them are enlisted for a mission under Lindow's supervision, although Alisa considers it rather unorthodox that they're travelling there by themselves first and standing watch while they wait for him to arrive. The spot where they're dropped off is a short distance away from where the two Chi-Yous they are hunting were sighted, but they stay alert nonetheless; after all, the smallest thing could mean the difference between life and death.

"Is he always this... carefree?" she grumbles loud enough for her sole companion to throw her an amused glance from her left. "I know he doesn't seem like it, but Lindow's a good leader," Yuu says predictably.

"Well, he really needs to act like one then," she fires back, and her instantaneous response elicits a laugh out of him. "Can't really argue with that one," he answers between dying chuckles before ending them with a rather fake cough. "Speak of the devil," he murmurs, straightening his features and posture as the man they were just discussing finally makes his appearance.

"Ah, I'm working with you two New-Types today. I'll try not to get in your way, so don't mind me," Lindow greets them cheerfully, apparently unconcerned with his tardiness. So much for being a good leader; he's a relic, to boot.

"If you ask me, Old-Types should just stick to what Old-Types are capable of doing," Alisa chides him with as much snideness as she can muster. However, all the older man does is give her a sheepish laugh and an apologetic look. "Well then, I'll see what I can do to live up to your expectations!" he answers as he walks up to her and claps his hand on her right shoulder-

_Idon'twanttodieIdon'twanttodieTHOSEEYES_

She jumps back from him, breaking the contact, and only belatedly realises that the scream she just heard is her own. Her ragged breathing is loud and harsh in the dead silence around them _and her head hurts so much_ and both Lindow and Yuu are giving her looks full of concern.

"Woah..." Lindow backs off, raising his hands in a placating manner. "I can see you really can't stand me..."

Even her pride is not great enough to stem the wave of shame and embarrassment that washes over her. "Oh... I-I'm sorry!" she stutters out, pressing her hand to her head in a futile attempt to both stem the throbbing pain in her skull and to hide her burning face. "It's nothing, I'm fine," she tries to wave it off, but she knows she hardly sounds convincing at all.

The silence returns momentarily, allowing her headache to subside slowly, before it is broken by the sound of Lindow's soft laugh. "Just kidding," she hears him say as a means of defusing the uncomfortable situation they're in right now before musing out loud. "Hmm... Let's see..."

"Listen up, Alisa." The sound of her name causes the girl to look up at the man's grinning countenance. "When things get chaotic, look up at the sky. Then find a cloud that looks like an animal." ...What? "That will help you to chill. Until then, stay here. That's an order. Afterwards, I want you to join us over there. Got that?" he commands, pointing to the spot that will be their second rendezvous point for the day.

The instructions baffle her, and she lets it show. "B-But why should I do such a thing?" she asks incredulously.

All Lindow does is wave her off with a smile. "Just look for a cloud, okay?" he asks warmly before turning to address Yuu, who has remained silent throughout the exchange. "All right, we're going on ahead," he announces before leaping down and making his way to the location he indicated earlier.

Yuu moves as if to follow their leader before stopping and turning to face her. "Do as he says," he encourages with a kind smile not too different from Lindow's. "I promise it'll help. Don't rush and just... breathe." With that, he makes the jump as well, leaving her alone to... stare at clouds, apparently.

Drawing a deep breath, the girl scans the sky for whatever will pass for some form of animal, unconsciously losing track of time in the process. It's only when she finds one that could be considered as looking somewhat bear-like that she realises her headache's receded and the tension she hadn't noticed had built up in her body has faded away.

"I suppose relics have their uses after all," she admits to herself under her breath before making her way to where Lindow and Yuu are waiting for her. The latter is the first to react to her arrival by throwing her a wide grin. "Feel better?" he asks lightly, although it's clear he's not expecting anything other than a positive response. "Yes," she mutters somewhat grudgingly, deciding to humour him - but only because she's in a good mood - before debating on whether she should thank Lindow or not.

Luckily, she's saved from having to decide by the sound of metallic wings slicing through the air. "Heads up, people!" their leader calls out, readying his God Arc as one of the Chi Yous they are here to kill lands in front of them. "We've got company!"

As expected, the battle is a tricky one but nothing the simulators have not prepared her for. Things get a little dicey when the Chi You they have been fighting takes off and they run into the other one as they are chasing down the first Aragami, but after some teamwork (she is forced to admit to herself that Lindow's skills alone justify his leadership position and Yuu's no slouch either) both Chi Yous are dead and have had their cores extracted.

"Nice work everyone, and excellent performance for your first mission, Alisa. I see your simulation scores aren't just for show," Lindow congratulates both of them, and she doesn't even try to hide the smirk of satisfaction that covers her face. "Good job, Alisa," Yuu seconds with an encouraging smile that she answers with a none-too-modest "thank you".

Things take an interesting turn when their comms suddenly crackle to life on their return trip. "2nd Unit's leader Tatsumi here," the voice announces his identity as a way of greeting, "We've got reports of a few Aragami breaching the Outer Wall at two sections and we're spread a bit thin. I know you're coming back from your own mission, but we could use your unit's help, Lindow."

"Roger that, Tatsumi, we'll back you up. Send us the coordinates," Lindow answers. Tatsumi rattles off two locations: one close to their current location and one further away, and Alisa knows even before he says it that their leader is going to split the group. "You two get down here and assist here," he orders them as their truck slows to a halt. "I'll go ahead and help out at the other site. See you guys back at the Den, okay? This should be a simple mission, so don't die!" he calls out as they disembark and the vehicle roars off into the distance.

Their journey is a short one, and before long they spot the telltale exposed section of the Outer Wall that indicates Aragami have managed to get into the Outer Ghetto. Running in and towards the sounds of a God Arc meeting Aragami flesh, they are met with the sight of a small group of Ogretails attacking a lone male figure dressed in red and white. He is clearly on the defensive, making sure that their attentions are focused on him instead of the terrified citizens running around them as well as the guy directing them to safety - likely another God Eater judging by the armlet on his wrist.

"Hold on, Tatsumi!" Yuu calls out as he surges into battle next to her with his Long Blade drawn, confirming her suspicions that the red-dressed guy is none other than the 2nd Unit leader who contacted them for help. Alisa sticks to using her Long Blade, Avenger, as well - using their gun modes is a risk they cannot take as a stray shot might harm any one of the civilians around them or further damage the settlement.

"Appreciate the help, guys!" Tatsumi calls out as he takes another swipe at an Ogretail that's come a little too close. "Make sure they stay away from Brendan and the evacuees!" Brendan must be the other God Eater then, she surmises as she drives her Avenger deep into the leg of the unsuspecting Ogretail she reaches first. The Aragami, having been previously distracted by Tatsumi, screeches out loud in pain just like the one that Yuu has attacked, and with that the monstrous group become aware of the new arrivals to the formerly one-sided fight.

Minutes that feel like hours pass before they finally thin their enemies' numbers - the Ogretails' attacks send them leaping far too close to evacuees or buildings for them to fight at their best - and Alisa is about to internally call it a victory before she spots a couple of wounded ones running away towards the hole they came in. "They're getting away!" she yells to Yuu and Tatsumi as she deals the killing blow to the Ogretail she was attacking.

"Leave them!" Tatsumi hollers back as he dodges another attack by the Ogretail he is dealing with, much to her chagrin - minus the two escaping, there are only the two that he and Yuu are fighting. "Our priority is the civilians!" To hell with him, she seethes on the inside; protecting the civilians may be the 2nd unit's duty, but she's not in his unit. "I'm going after them!" she yells, pointedly ignoring Yuu's frantic shout of "Alisa, wait!" as she gives chase.

Luckily for her, the Ogretails have not gone far and have instead stopped to consume the remains of a broken down vehicle just beyond the Outer Wall's perimeter, no doubt in order to recover from their injuries. She doesn't give them the chance, bringing her Long Blade down on the closest Ogretail in a surprise attack. It roars in pain and turns to face her along with the other one, but a clean stab between its eyes ensures it stays down for good. However, it takes her a split second to realise that her decision to focus on one has created an opening for the other Ogretail to attack her. Everything seems to move in slow motion as she scrambles to pull her God Arc free of the dead Ogretail's body, all the while watching as it readies its attack-

-only for Yuu to leap in from seemingly nowhere to slam his Long Blade so deep into the Ogretail's neck that there can be no doubt of its immediate demise. A strange silence descends around them, punctuated only by his laboured breathing and hers, which is only slower by a small margin, as they both remove their respective God Arcs from their prey. It feels like forever before he meets her gaze, and she can almost feel both the concern and silent rebuke he is emanating.

"Are you alright?" he asks; the concern has won this time, and for some reason it causes a wave of relief to wash over her. "Yes," she answers; for a brief moment she had considered brushing his question off, but he came and backed her up - possibly saving her life in the process, but she refuses to acknowledge that - so the least she can do is be civil. She contemplates for the second time that day if she should actually say thanks, but again she is saved from that same predicament by a new arrival, this time in the form of Tatsumi who's grinning from ear to ear.

"Wow, you New-Types are really something on the battlefield! I guess all that hype wasn't an exaggeration after all!" he all but crows. "But Yuu, you sure can run like the wind," he commends. "You dashed after Alisa so fast after you killed the Ogretail you were fighting that I couldn't catch up at all."

"You were just slow, Tatsumi, " Yuu chides good-naturedly, still evidently exhausted from both the fighting and chasing after her, but the 2nd Unit's leader brushes off his protest. "Don't be so modest. I'd say I'm a decent runner, but at the speed you were going it was as if I was taking a stroll." Looking between the two of them, he continues speaking. "Still, the two of you were really good today. We would've been in a lot more trouble if you guys hadn't backed us up. Lindow's reported that they've settled the issue on their side too, so you two can ride back to the Den with me and Brendan. Although..."

The way he trails off coupled with his sheepish and apologetic smile causes the alarm bells in Alisa's head to go off, and the rest of his sentence justifies the dread that has crept up on her.

"...you know I have to put all this in my report, right?"

...Oh no.

-xXx-

"So," Tsubaki asks in a tone that promises a punishment worse than death, and resisting the urge to flinch is taking an incredible amount of Alisa's willpower, "would either of you care to tell me why you both disregarded a unit leader's direct orders to stay put and proceeded to chase two Aragami that were already running away beyond the safety of the Outer Wall by yourselves?"

Alisa opens her mouth to offer an excuse even though her brain has not yet come up with one, but Yuu speaks up before she can say anything that could make things worse. "There was a chance that the escaped Ogretails would return with more of their kind and attack the Outer Ghetto after we had vacated the area, especially since that section of the wall will not be fully repaired for the next few days," he explains clearly, and she can't help but gape at how matter-of-fact he sounds considering he likely just made everything up. "Alisa acted in order to avoid this potential incident and I backed her up."

Lindow, who throughout the debriefing/interrogation has kept quiet, lets out a cough that sounds suspiciously like a snort of laughter, causing an already irritated Tsubaki to throw a very severe glare at him that could fell a horde of Aragami before turning back to them. "What you did was utterly reckless and borders on insubordination," she scolds them severely, and Alisa expects a rather harsh punishment is in store for them.

...Which is why she is understandably shocked when there isn't. "But you make a valid point and neither of you were injured, so I'm hard-pressed to punish you for doing your duty and returning to us alive," she continues, her voice lowering in intensity. "Although if you pull that stunt again, next time you won't be walking away with a simple warning," she finishes, once again resuming her harsh tone. "Dismissed. Dr Sakaki is already waiting for you."

"Yes, ma'am," they both chorus before leaving the room. Alisa is equally torn between feeling incensed and embarrassed about the situation, so she opts for the easier option.

"I could've handled it on my own," she mutters, not caring that her anger is coating her every word. As the words leave her mouth, she herself isn't sure if she's referring to him stepping in to defend her to Tsubaki just now or his interference in the battle earlier. (A small voice in the back of her head reminds her that she'd decided then to be somewhat grateful for his timely aid, but she ignores it.)

"You could have," he responds, easily keeping in stride with her as they make their way to the lift. "But we're teammates and I made the decision to have your back like teammates are supposed to."

"I don't need anyone's help," she shoots back viciously as they reach the lift and she stabs the lift button with a little more force than necessary. "And what's with the Far East Branch's 2nd unit in the first place?" she fumes as the doors slide open and they board the lift. "Especially the unit leader. Does he put people's feelings ahead of strategy? Does he really think we can repulse the Aragami with that kind of approach? It's simply ludicrous."

Yuu lets out a resigned sigh, likely having detected her unspoken desire to change the topic. "The 2nd unit's purpose is first and foremost the protection of the Outer Wall and the people who live within its perimeter. Defeating the Aragami is secondary to that duty." His unsatisfactory response causes her to turn to confront him, but the unnervingly neutral look on his face stops her short and his next words reveal that he hasn't actually let go of their previous topic like she expected.

"And regardless of whether you want or need anyone's help or not, I'm still going to offer it every chance I get. You could say this is because we're the only New-Types in the Far East Branch right now, but above all else I'm not interested in losing another teammate-" Another? "-so you're just going to have to get used to it."

She isn't aware of how long they stand there just staring silently at each other, but the moment ends when the lift slows to a halt several floors before their stop and the doors open to reveal a blonde guy dressed in a pink shirt, jeans and cowboy boots. "Oh, it's you two," he remarks as he boards and presses the button for a different floor, his voice carrying an air of haughty nonchalance.

Alisa dislikes him immediately.

"Hello, Karel," Yuu responds somewhat coolly, giving her the impression that he does not have the best of opinions of the new guy either. "I heard you guys acted quite recklessly when you were asked to support the 2nd unit," he comments offhandedly, his thinly veiled disapproval getting on her nerves.

"What's it to you?" she bites back, barely keeping her temper in check; recent events have done more than enough to set her on edge, and this guy is not helping.

"Personally, I wouldn't have bothered," he answers in a bored tone. "While it would have improved my stats, it's not like the extra effort would've gotten me paid more and the 2nd unit's missions are hardly ever lucrative to begin with."

His statement causes her temper to ratchet up a few more notches, and she knows she's about to lose control of her anger. "So all you care about is the money?" she asks icily, and out of the corner of her eye Yuu is shifting closer as if to step in on the chance this becomes physical.

Karel, however, is still painfully oblivious to the situation he's in. "Other people will tell you some sob story about how they want to avenge themselves on the Aragami or try to sound heroic by saying they want to protect people," he answers dismissively, "but I'm one of those who'll tell you the honest truth: I do this because it pays well."

That proves to be the last straw, and she's right in his face before anyone else can react. "You'd better pray we never get sent on a mission together," she hisses, fists clenched, "because you can forget about getting any help from me. And that's considering I'd rather head into the mission solo instead of having to be on the same team as you for even a second."

The lift chooses that precise moment to stop at their floor, and Alisa makes sure to slam Karel's shoulder with hers on the way out, ignoring his indignant sputtering as she all but stomps her way to Dr Sakaki's office. Yuu, of course, catches up to her in no time and matches her stride with ease.

"While I freely admit that I don't really like Karel," he begins but never finishes as she proceeds to quickly cut him off. "Either way, I meant it, I'm not taking it back and I don't care to hear what you think about it," she snaps irritably.

"Be that as it may-" he tries to argue but thankfully stops as they arrive at their destination. Upon their entrance, Dr Sakaki looks up and smiles. "Ah, so you two finally managed to escape Tsubaki's wrath," he remarks cheerfully. "Kota's already arrived and ready for our next lesson."

By which he meant that the boy had already fallen asleep, and tracing the source of the loud snoring to the figure half-draped over the table visually confirms the unspoken statement. She hears Yuu let out a tired chuckle as they move to take their seats before the scientist begins another of his long-winded lectures.

"Aragami... Back when the Oracle Cells were first discovered, they still existed in amoeba form. After that, Aragami in earthworm form were found. 6 months later, Aragami in beast form were sighted. And by the time a year had passed, an entire continent had been thoroughly destroyed by the expanding Aragami. Even considering that they evolve by taking on the form of whatever they eat, wouldn't you say that's a blistering pace? Right. Now, strictly speaking, the Aragami don't actually evolve. The fact is... the Oracle Cell's gene sequence hasn't changed at all from the originals. You hear me? Not one tiny bit."

That jerks Alisa out of her near-daze, and by the way Yuu is sitting a little straighter that revelation has caught him by surprise as well. "But wait a minute, that's not possible!" she blurts out incredulously. "They're changing form, aren't they?"

Pleased that he has their rapt attention barring a particular individual, Dr Sakaki continues his speech. "They... the Aragami, you see, they're just like you right now," he remarks as he approaches the sleeping Kota. "For them, taking on the form of whatever they've eaten is the same a acquiring knowledge is for us. That's right... all they're doing is acquiring knowledge and getting smarter. What kind of bone structure would they need to move faster in our environment? What would they need to develop the ability to fly? They're busy absorbing tons of information like a sponge soaks up water. In a mere 20 years, they've reached a highly advanced level of development in terms of form and function."

Staring down somewhat despairingly at his one inattentive student, the man pokes the unconscious boy whose only reaction is to grumble and shift before resuming his deep sleep. "Too bad the Aragami weren't as adverse to studying as young Kota here," he muses humourously, which elicits a muttered "If only" from Yuu.

"Yes," Dr Sakaki continues, "they're extremely dedicated and diligent students. I mean it really boggles the mind. I've even heard rumours of an Aragami that is actually capable of launching missiles. If that's really true, then that means they've even taken on the form of man-made tools. Isn't that just intriguing? If they can incorporate such complex information into their paradigm... Then perhaps one day, in the not-too-distant future, an Aragami in human form will appear."

Another sentence that strikes a chord in her. "An Aragami in human form?" she finds herself repeating numbly before pain lances through her skull, forcing her to press her palm to her forehead.

"Perhaps we should end the lesson here," Dr Sakaki announces, having seemingly noticed her discomfort. "Alisa, I believe it's almost time for your appointment with Dr Oguruma so you should get that headache looked at while you're there," he advises. She offers him a quick bow and leaves as quickly as possible before Yuu can chase after her; she's heard more than enough from everyone in fact for today, be they kind or reprimanding words, and the last thing she needs is to deal with him while her head feels like it's going to explode.

* * *

I apologise for the lateness of this chapter; real life, a wrist injury incurred through work and the release of Tales of Xillia has put a serious dent in my writing time and abilities. I'll try to be more diligent, but damn that game's addictive and these original scenes inspired by a few lines of additional dialogue and emails are really tough to write. DX


	4. Chapter 3: Thunder Heralding a Storm

Author's Note: Once again, my thanks to my reviewers. To rydia3791, thanks for the cup of tea, your shared love for the Tales of series (you HAVE to play Xillia ASAP) and extensive review; I love hearing your thoughts about the different parts of the chapter. To Xen Kenshin, glad my fic caught your attention, and I hope you enjoy it; I have no idea what Royal Ice Armors and Imperial Crowns are, but I'll take your advice and hope they don't squish me like a bug when I do encounter them. To soldier against the numbers, thanks for your consideration, and I'm glad you like my fic (a lot)!

* * *

'There is no rest for the wicked' is the thought that crosses Alisa's mind as she reads the summons that pops up on her terminal's screen during her routine morning check. Lindow has apparently lined up another mission at noon with her as part of the team, giving her enough time to grab breakfast, return and get ready before she has to show up in front of the mission counter. It is apparent that a specific someone else is also following a similar schedule as she runs into none other than Yuu on her way to the lift in the Rookie's section.

"Morning, Alisa," he greets her cheerfully, "I take it we'll be working together again, if you heading this way at this time means Lindow's summoned you too for the mission."

"Good morning to you too," she replies neutrally, idly noticing how they have both matched their strides to each other's, "and while you are right, you shouldn't make assumptions based on something as unfounded as what time I happen to be walking down the hall." There is a slight pause in the conversation once they reach the lift and he beats her to the pressing of the button. "Coincidences happen. For all you know, I could've been making my way to the cafeteria to get a late breakfast."

Yuu's laugh is half-drowned out by the sounds of the elevator arriving and its doors opening. "Yeah, they do," he concedes as they step in and the doors close behind them, "but I know for a fact that you sent Maintenance a request for your God Arc to be prepared this morning because Licca told me so when I went to do it in person, and the timing was... well, too much of a coincidence."

"You guessed." Her response is flat, as is the look she throws him.

Yuu gives her his trademark grin. "I prefer to call it an educated intuitive leap."

"That doesn't even make sense!" she shoots back, following him out of the lift and into the God Arc Maintenance Unit's workplace. "Of course it does!" he counters readily as they make their way over to Licca's station where their God Arcs are waiting to be picked up. Alisa wonders for a moment if it's a contrived coincidence that her God Arc is also under the female engineer's supervision but decides to ignore it in favour of continuing this ridiculous conversation... although for what reason she can't say. They continue to bicker even throughout the retrieval of their God Arcs - much to Licca's silent amusement, which Alisa pointedly ignores - as well as the journey back to the lift and the lift ride itself.

A sense of foreboding, however, falls upon her once they reach the mission counter, as Lindow is nowhere to be seen and Hibari's first reaction upon noticing their arrival is an apologetic smile. "Morning Yuu, Alisa," she greets them and they respond in kind even as Alisa mentally braces herself for what is clearly going to be bad news of some sort. The news does not directly come from Hibari though; instead, the female operator hands them a piece of paper. "Lindow dropped this off a while ago and told me to pass it to you when you arrived," she tells them. "I... well, before I tell you anything else, you should probably read it."

That is enough to cause the sense of foreboding to turn into full-on dread as she and Yuu smooth out the slightly crinkled message and read Lindow's scrawled message. Said message, unfortunately, causes whatever good mood she had - and isn't it strange that pointlessly bickering with Yuu didn't infuriate her as much as it should have? - to immediately evaporate.

_Hey guys,_

_I know I set up a mission for noon but a hot date of mine called up out of the blue and... well, I'll spare you innocent kids the details - you'll figure it out when you're older. Anyway, that doesn't mean you're going to slack off today; I've heard that Tatsumi needs a few volunteers so I've passed the three of you off to him. Good luck, and remember: Don't die!_

...She's going to throw her God Arc case right in his face the next time she sees him, and he'll be lucky if that's all the harm she does to him. To her right, Yuu has apparently finished reading the message as well, if the sounds he's making - some weird combination of an exasperated sigh and muffled sniggering - are any indication. She looks up to meet Hibari's sympathetic gaze and the older girl offers her a helpless shrug. "Tatsumi already knows about the change of plans and is already waiting at the helicopter pad. You're to meet him there once everyone's been made aware of the new arrangement."

Hibari's statement, while seemingly normal, causes Alisa to frown in confusion. She and Yuu are already here and the message has already been delivered to them, so what- Realisation hits her then; the message had said three, so there's one more person who has not yet shown up. Who could it be though?

As if in response to her unspoken question, the distant sound of someone stampeding through the Den reaches Alisa's ears, and she is hit with a sudden moment of absolute clarity... accompanied by an equal amount of dread. She silently prays that she has guessed wrongly as the three of them look in the direction that the sound is coming from, but as the noise steadily grows louder she already knows that her fate is sealed.

Sure enough, who else but Kota comes running up to the counter, God Arc case in hand and swinging in such a way she's surprised no one's been greviously injured or killed by it yet. Panting heavily, the boy comes to a stop right in front of them, and Alisa only offers him a cross look as she deftly sidesteps his errant God Arc case which nearly smacks her right leg.

"Oh man, I'm so so so sorry!" he rambles in between gasping in lungfuls of air, his hands on his knees likely being the only things keeping his bowed head from hitting the ground. "I know I was supposed to show up on time and all, but I was watching Bugarally last night and totally got carried away. But it was such an exciting episode, you know, and I really couldn't turn it off so I kept watching and it was like past 2am before I knew it-" It's at this point that Kota finally looks up to realise the only ones before him are Hibari, Yuu and her. "Wait, where's Lindow?" he asks, befuddled.

It's rather unprofessional, but she's starting to wish she'd never gotten out of bed this morning.

-xXx-

The mission, as Tatsumi explains it, is simple: they are to escort and guard a small Research team tasked with retrieving the data that has been collected by several instruments they set up in one of the City of Mercy's abandoned buildings last week.

The mission, Alisa decides, is also incredibly boring. There is little sense in playing the passive role; the faint sounds of activity deeper in the city indicate there are Aragami prowling beyond their field of vision just as reported, yet here they are standing around just waiting for something to happen. It's enough to set her teeth on edge.

Like the rest, she has been posted on one side of the building in a rather loose sense of a formation, limiting communication between the team to strictly via their comm links. Just then, hers crackles to life, transmitting Tatsumi's voice and message clearly. "This might take a while guys. Research team's told me that the storm that hit this area a couple of days ago messed up one of their equipment. They're trying to salvage it but-"

The rest of the message - if there is any - is drowned out by a loud screeching sound coming from the building they are guarding that causes her to clap her free hand to one ear in a blind attempt to protect her hearing from the noise. "What the hell was that?!" she yells into her comm link once it lowers in pitch before ending in a soft whine. Tatsumi's response is a little pained; he was likely closer to the source of the sound when it went off. "I think that equipment malfunctioned-" Approaching footfalls from the city reach her ears, and likely all her teammates', at that moment. "-but that's the least of our worries right now. Head's up guys, we're about to have company."

Sure enough, three Ogretails that were most likely attracted by the sound turn the corner and snarl the moment they lay eyes on her. Yuu and Kota both report Aragami in their sights as well, and all hell breaks loose at that point. She's unable to spare another thought for their predicament as the three Ogretails in front of her charge, and reflex finds her shifting her God Arc into its gun form and pulling the trigger before she can consciously register the action. Raging Lore fires true, each bullet finding their mark in her enemies and stopping one short while mortally wounding the other two, making them easy prey once they come within melee range. A few calculated swings of Avenger finish them off, and when the third Ogretail finally arrives she makes short work of it as well.

"Kongou!" The edge in Yuu's voice is clear even through the comm link transmission, and Alisa lets out a few choice words in Russian as she breaks into a run to back him up. "Be there in a minute, bro! Hang in there!" Kota yells through the open link. Tatsumi's lack of response, she decides, means one of two things: he's either already there or is too caught up in his own battle.

She finds her first guess is the correct one upon her arrival; their team's senior member is attempting to hold off the Kongou while Yuu is preoccupied with three Zygotes that are intent on taking his head off. It's starting to feel like they've attracted every last Aragami living in the City of Mercy, she thinks grimly as she switches Avenger out for Raging Lore and fires a few shots off at the Kongou before switching back and diving in to help Yuu clear out the Zygotes. An errant shot might wound him, and in such a delicate situation they cannot risk a single one of them being taken out of action even for a moment.

"I got your back, Tatsumi!" Kota announces his fashionably late arrival with several shots from his gun directed at the Kongou. Systematically dodging and slicing at the Zygotes she and Yuu are faced with make her unable to witness the battle with the larger Aragami, although foreknowledge of each person's God Arcs keeps her informed sound-wise what is going on. As his Old-Type God Arc lacks a gun form, any sound of direct contact with the Kongou's flesh must be an attack from Tatsumi, while being limited to a gun form means every shot being fired must be Kota's doing.

One Zygote falls for good to Yuu's blade just as the sound of a stun grenade exploding reaches their ears, along with an overly enthusiastic "Aw yeah, it's devouring time!" Alisa has to resist the urge to roll her eyes as that would compromise her ability to fight, but Kota's carefree attitude is really starting to irk her. The unnecessary announcement is followed by the sound of two people going into Burst Mode; Tatsumi has likely also taken advantage of the Kongou's disorientated state as well. Kota's shots are more noticeably more powerful now, she notes, although the rate at which he is firing is as reckless as she expects it to be. Still, if it helps their target get taken down faster she'll hold her tongue for the moment. All in all, she thinks, the battle seems to be going well.

Of course, it's just as she has that thought that everything has to go south in the worst way possible. Absorbed as they are in their respective battles, none of them notice the Chi-You's arrival until it is too late. They are down to their last Zygote but the Kongou has not been felled, and Alisa marks this as the second time today she's really wished she'd just stayed in bed and called in sick. With its below average hearing, the Chi-You's presence here means that it must have spotted the battle, and that's a real testament to their luck that one just had to notice them.

"Tatsumi!" Yuu's panicked shout jolts her out of her thoughts, and she turns in time to see a distracted Tatsumi get smacked into the building's wall by a swipe from the enraged Kongou. His body slams into the structure with a wince-inducing thud before sliding to the ground motionless. "I've got him!" Kota yells as he tosses a stun grenade at the Kongou before rushing to the 2nd unit leader's side. "Kota, wait!" Yuu tries to stop him as he takes another aerial swipe at the last Zygote, knocking it out down to the ground for her to devour. She doesn't understand until she finishes the grounded Zygote off and turns her full attention back to the two of them only to see Kota perform a Link-Aid, go pale and pass out next to the unconscious Tatsumi.

"What the hell?!" she screams at Yuu, unable to find the words to articulate just how... how _ridiculous_ the situation is. Now they're down two members and facing off against two large Aragami and she's so going to _kill_ Lindow when she gets back to the Den, she swears it.

"Alisa!" Yuu has obviously elected to ignore her rhetorical question in favour of trying to regain control of the situation. "The Chi-You has a weakness to Blaze, so I'm counting on you to use your Avenger to its full potential and at least keep it occupied, okay? I'm going to make sure the Kongou doesn't get to the two of them while they recover." He doesn't wait for her to respond, instead dashing straight off to engage the Kongou. It's not like they have much of a choice, she thinks darkly as she fires off a few Blaze shots to gain the Chi-You's attention. The faint sound of Tatsumi stirring that reaches her ears does little to improve her disposition; by her estimates he will not be able to return to battle within the next few minutes, and in this dire situation every second is a decisive one.

It is during the second instance of having to dodge to the side to avoid the Chi-You's gliding attack that what amounts to a desperation-fueled insane idea hits her. "Yuu, I need your help!" she yells over the roar of her gun firing off another volley at the Chi-You. "A little busy here!" he hollers back a little breathlessly; under normal circumstances, he likely would have been able to defeat the Kongou by now, but as it stands his attention is divided between keeping himself alive and ensuring the Kongou does not either target Tatsumi and Kota.

"I have a plan, but you need to keep the Chi-You occupied near the building for it to work!" His immediate response is to throw her an incredulous look, but he must see something in her gaze because his incredulity shifts into resolution and he gives her a nod before turning back towards his opponent. "Alright, I'm counting on you," he answers before calling out to Tatsumi. "Hey Tatsumi, you back with us yet?"

"Something close to it," the 2nd unit leader groggily answers. "Don't get back up yet," Yuu orders him, "I need you to see to Kota - discreetly; the last thing we need is the Kongou bearing down on the two of you before you're ready to fight back. Alisa, on my signal." She doesn't respond directly, choosing instead to tense her body in preparation for her arguably insane strategy.

"NOW!" With that one word, she sprints straight for the building the Research team is holed up in, putting every last ounce of energy she has into her legs. The Chi-You turns to follow her but is interrupted by a volley of shots fired by Yuu and chooses to switch its attention to him instead as she planned for it to. She tunes everything out - the roar of the Kongou, the sound of the Chi-You's wings slicing through the air, the unique sound of a God Arc repeatedly switching forms - nothing matters except her destination.

The Research team members huddled inside the building are understandably surprised by her bursting through the entryway, but she pays little heed to them. "Stay in here!" she barks as she dashes for the staircase leading to the next floor. Outside, the sounds of combat intensify - Tatsumi and Kota have most likely returned to the fray and are backing Yuu up - just as she slams the door to the roof open with her Brimstone shield absorbing the impact. A quick scan of the battlefield confirms her suspicions - Tatsumi and Kota are keeping the weakened Kongou distracted while Yuu is single-handedly wrangling the Chi-You. He has his back towards the building, though, and as such fails to see her.

"I need it closer!" she yells down at him, and that gets his attention. At any other time, the look of confusion on his face would be humourous, but the situation is too dire for bemusement to set in. "Closer!" she repeats, snapping him out of his trance, and it is then that they both see the Chi-You prepare to glide straight at him. Instead of moving out of the way, however, he deploys his shield and waits. Alisa finds herself unable to do anything but watch, part shock and part horror freezing her as the Aragami swoops in and all but slams Yuu into the building's wall. It is as the Chi-You pulls out of its dive to avoid crashing into the building as well that she realises it is close enough for her plan. This is what he was aiming for, and she's not about to waste the opportunity.

There is time enough to gasp in one lungful of air. Then she leaps.

With its eyes cast towards the ground, the Chi-You fails to see her bear down on it from above, Avenger in hand and aimed downwards. It does, of course, notice when her Long Blade pierces deep into its head and lets out such a deafening screech she momentarily passes out from the noise. She doesn't let it stop her though, and maintains her vice-like grip of her God Arc as it thrashes around in an attempt to throw her off, scrambling for a proper foothold on the smooth surface of the Aragami's skin and kicking wildly at its fists when they come a little too close to her.

Distantly, she hears the Kongou roar and run off, followed by Tatsumi and Kota announcing their arrival to help finish off the Chi-You by simultaneously attacking it. Their assault helps to keep the Aragami's hands away from her long enough for her to finally steady herself and twist the blade of her God Arc. She ignores the spray of Aragami blood that hits her as a result, choosing instead to focus on her prey's last dying screech as it finally falls and moves no more.

"A risky but effective maneuver," a voice says, and Alisa looks up from extracting her blade out of the dead Chi-You's skull to see Tatsumi give her an appraising smile which causes her anger at this entire situation to resurface and override everything else.

"This wouldn't have happened if we'd cleared the area before the Research team started their operation," she snaps, and her comment causes Tatsumi's smile to fall and be replaced by a grim frown. "I know things didn't go as planned," he replies, "but our job was-"

"Screw that!" she cuts him off angrily. "We wouldn't have had so much trouble if in the first place we'd just _KILLED THEM_-"

The pain that explodes in her skull comes suddenly, and for a moment the world tilts dangerously to the side. She catches herself in time, driving Avenger into the ground and leaning heavily on it to prevent herself from falling over. The only sound she hears is her own laboured breathing, and the silence stretches for a while before Yuu breaks it.

"I think that's enough. It happened, we survived; end of discussion." Trust him to play peacemaker; Kota has uncharacteristically remained silent throughout the argument. "Tatsumi, what do you want to do about the Kongou?"

The guy in question lets out a resigned sigh before replying. "We'd better deal with it in case it comes back while the Research team's packing up. Kota and I will handle it; the two of you should rest up." With that, the two of them run off, leaving her and Yuu alone.

She's not sure whether it's because of the headache or something else, but she breaks the silence by angrily verbalising her other issues about the whole debacle to Yuu. "What's with that Kota guy? He gives up so much of his own health during a Link-Aid, and then passes out from that. It's just trouble for us. And he deals so many strong attacks, but only during a Burst. I mean, does he not know how to pace himself?" she rages. "And don't even get me started on our leader. He's always fooling around... If not for him, we wouldn't even be here."

"And _you_," she snarls as she turns her gaze to him, causing him to give her a startled look in response. "You must be a lunatic, using yourself as bait for the Chi-You like that." A small voice in the back of her head points out that he only did it because of her, but she ignores it for now.

All her comment does is make him grin. "That's rich, coming from the girl who leapt off a building to stab said Chi-You in the head," he counters. Infuriating idiot. "сумасшедший," she mutters under her breath, and they lapse into another quiet moment before she speaks up again. "You okay?" she finds herself asking, allowing herself to remember that he likely got hurt pulling off the stunt she's scolded him about.

He shrugs, but even through her headache she catches him wincing at the action. "I'll live," he answers. "Took a Restore Pill while you were stabbing it." A Kongou's dying roar reaches their ears at that moment. "Looks like Tatsumi and Kota are done. Let's head back to the Den and everyone can rest up. It's been a long day." She couldn't agree more, and before long the helicopter they are on is touching down at the Den.

Her headache, which had been abating on the quiet ride back, spikes again when she sees none other than Lindow waiting to greet them upon their return. "Hey guys," he calls out cheerfully, "heard you got into a bit of a scrap- whoa!" It is likely due to surprise that he gives way to her hitting his arm with her shoulder as she strides past him, ignoring his bewildered question of "Was it something I said?" in favour of going straight back to her room to rest.

Yes, all she needs is some rest. Then maybe the headaches will finally stop.

-xXx-

No amount of rest, Alisa decides, will ever be enough. As it is, she's being shipped off to another mission not a day later, and this time it will be just her and Lindow. Her headache, while milder, persists, and not even a visit to Dr Oguruma has fixed it.

"Well, hello there Alisa." Speak of the devil, she thinks as she looks up to meet the doctor's gaze. "Going on a mission?" At her answering nod, he smiles and steps closer to her. "I see, I see. Good luck. You know what your mission is, don't you?" he asks, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Yes," she responds automatically, even though the question doesn't seem to make sense. The man gives her no time to think it over, though, and merely pulls his hand back. "Good, good. Remember to do as you're told." With that last statement, he walks off, passing by Lindow whose smile upon seeing her is a lot warmer than the doctor's. "Hey Alisa," he greets her. "Looks like it's just the two of us today; the other four got sent off on their own mission just a short while ago. You know, it's rare for our unit to be given two missions at the same time, but I guess it's probably an emergency. Listen to me rambling; we should be heading off. You ready?" She offers him a nod before picking up her God Arc case and following him.

Maybe the headache will stop later, she hopes. If she's lucky, maybe it'll stop forever.

* * *

Words fail to describe how much I struggled with this chapter; I kept revising the fight scene over and over again to the point that I lost count of how many times I just wanted to throw it all away and go on to the next point in the story. Still, I swore I would use every bit of dialogue and email in my fic, so I soldiered on... and thus this chapter was finally completed. The next chapter, however, will be difficult to write for a different reason; you know what's coming up next, and I hope I won't disappoint.

PS: If you're curious about what that bit of Russian Alisa says in the fic means, it's "lunatic". Which I think is quite apt for describing both of them in that situation. :P


	5. Chapter 4: Prisoner of Madness

Author's Note: As always, thanks to my reviewers; hope you continue to enjoy reading this fic as much as I do writing it. To Xen Kenshin, thank you for the support and encouragement; I'll keep forging ahead and good luck to you with your fic as well. To rydia3791, I agree, 'tactically aggressive' is a pretty good phrase to use to describe Alisa's initial fighting style. Now, on with the chapter, and boy is it a rough one.

* * *

The City of Mercy is quiet when they arrive - too quiet for her liking, Alisa thinks uneasily as brings up the rear, Gatling Lore gripped tightly in her hands. Her headache isn't helping matters either, beating an almost... hypnotic rhythm in her skull with every passing second.

Lindow likely shares her unease, if she's reading the tension in his frame right. "Hey, this is really getting fishy," he mutters in a suspicious and accusatory tone, although who there is here to accuse is beyond her. As if in response to his statement, the distant roar of an Aragami echoes from somewhere deeper in the city, and the sound seems to reverberate in her head-

_-the firm grip of a large hand on her shoulder, and THOSE EYES-_

She doesn't realise she's stopped in her tracks until she sees that Lindow has stopped as well to look at her worriedly. "Is something wrong?" he asks, his concern evident both on his face and in his body language. Instead of being irritated, she takes some small measure of comfort from this, for some reason, and chalks it up to the situation affecting her more than she expected.

"N-no! Nothing's wrong," she stutters, wincing inwardly at how unconvincing she sounds. "You're all clear from the side and back," she continues in a clumsy attempt to distract him from noticing that anything is amiss. His frown, however, proves that it was a futile attempt on her part, but he thankfully does not push the matter. "Right..." he answers in a tone that fully conveys his doubt, "Let's move on."

She breathes a small sigh of relief as the topic is dropped and they resume their careful foray deeper into the city - if only her headache could go away just as easily, she thinks, although at least it's more like an irritating hum instead of an all-out pounding in her skull. It is not long before they hear faint sounds of activity ahead of them and they wordlessly move towards the direction they are coming from, only to turn the corner and run into, of all things, the rest of the 1st Unit.

"What?" Soma is the first one among them all to react, although with very little eloquence. Lindow does no better, responding with a confused "You guys?" Of course, Kota just has to chip in as well. "Huh? What are you doing here, Lindow?" he asks in a dumbfounded manner, and Alisa barely resists the urge to roll her eyes at how he has to be the one to ask the most inane question possible. Yuu just keeps quiet like her, although he's throwing everyone glances while frowning faintly.

"Why would they send two teams to the same location?" It's Sakuya who voices the question that undoubtedly must be occupying all their minds. "What does this mean?" she continues, stepping towards them only to be halted in her tracks at the sight of Lindow's raised hand, palm held outwards in a stopping gesture.

"Let's worry about that later," he says, already slipping into his more serious leader mood - one she wishes he would adopt more often. "We need to wrap this up and head back. We'll take the inside. You guys check the outside. Got that?" He doesn't wait for a response and is already stepping towards the hole in the side of the church the moment he finishes giving his orders. Alisa falls in line quietly, only sparing one more glance back at the four they are leaving behind before redirecting her gaze to Lindow's back once more.

Their footsteps echo in the silence of the empty church and something like dread crawls over her skin, causing her to grip her God Arc so tightly that if she were to look at her hands she would see that her knuckles were white as bone.

A sound from the outside causes her and Lindow to turn their gazes in unison towards the large hole where the stained glass window should be, and it seems as if time itself slows down as a hulking shape on four legs leaps in to stare down at them from the makeshift ledge the hole forms. It is almost beautiful in a grotesque manner, the way its face appears to be that of a wrathful goddess' sculpture - as if the Aragami had been trying to live up in some manner to its namesake of being a rampaging god, a detached voice at the back of her head muses. She barely hears it under the cacophony that is the... _noise_ pervading her head right now.

"Get back!" Lindow's voice, while sharp, fails to fully penetrate the fog. "Keep me covered from the rear!" He sounds so far away, everything seems so far away, and nothing... nothing feels real.

The Aragami lets out a loud roar before leaping down, and suddenly everything feels too painfully, familiarly _real_. She's seen this before, she's felt this before, she knows sheknowssheknows-

_She remembers._

"Daddy! Mommy! Stop it! Don't eat them!" It's here, it's here, she has to run (_there's nowhere to run_), they're not safe (_no one is_), they're all going to _DIE_ and she can't do anything (_againagainagain_)-

"Alisa!" Lindow... Lindow's fighting, calling her name but she can't... _she can't do anything and there's something - someone else - in her head_. "What's going on?!" She's only dimly aware of her hands raising Gatling Lore and pointing it at the conflict before her, her mind having been dragged back to- _The machine has her arm in a vice and her wrist hurts so much it hurtsithurtsITHURTS why won't it STOP HURTING?_

_"That's right!" the voice tells her. "Fight it! Rise above it!"_

The battle before her rages on, but she has no control and Gatling Lore feels like a dead weight in her hands as the barrel hovers and is aimed intermittently between both parties.

_Oguruma's hand is heavy on her shoulder as she stares at the screen before her depicting various Aragami. "This is what you should say as you pull that trigger," he tells her, "Ajin duva touri!"_

"Ajin... duva... touri..." she repeats mechanically, her present murmurs an echo of her memory's actions.

_"That's right," he urges her, his voice gripping her mind the way his hand is gripping her shoulder. "That's the chant that will turn you into a strong little girl."_

"Ajin... duva... touri..." Yes... she wanted to be strong, didn't she? To never feel weak ever again...

_"These are your enemies... the Aragami!" he tells her, and the pictures shift, alternating between the many types of Aragami only to linger on... _Lindow_._

She shudders and the finger on the trigger spasms-

_Lindow is grinning at her, and out of the corner of her eye she can see Yuu looking on silently at the exchange, a small smile on his face. "When things get chaotic, look up at the sky," he tells her._

"NO!" she screams out loud, dispelling the memories. "Stop it!" It seems to take all of her remaining strength to yank Gatling Lore upwards just as she pulls on the trigger. The shots go wide, hitting the ceiling and causing chunks to crumble and fall, sealing the entrance. The shockwave coupled with her actions are enough to cause her to fall clear of the cave-in, but as the consequences of her actions finally penetrate the fog clouding her mind the horror settles in and she wishes she'd died instead.

The sound of approaching footsteps barely register as she stares without seeing at the now blocked entrance, her world centred around it and the muffled sounds of combat beyond it. "Alisa!" Sakuya's voice is so close yet so far away, for some reason. "What have you done?!"

"No... no..." she mumbles, unable to look anywhere but ahead - Lindow's fighting but he's going to die he's going to die and _it's all her fault_ - "Daddy... Mommy... I... I didn't mean it..."

Sakuya lets out a noise of frustration which is followed by the sound of her deploying her God Arc and firing at the rubble. There are more roars now, outside, and a male voice - Kota's? - screams in pain as its owner gets knocked inside. Sakuya stops firing on the rubble and turns her gun on the attacking Aragami as the sounds of someone running and a blade slicing through Aragami flesh register. "Hurry the hell up, or we'll be surrounded!" yet another voice yells, but it's pointless, isn't it? They're all going to die now, and it'll be her fault _all her fault againagainagain_

Lindow's voice, muffled by the wall of stone, cuts through the noise. "Take Alisa back to the Den with you. That's an order!" he commands.

"But..." Sakuya starts to protest, and if she could Alisa would object too - she caused this, so she should be punished, should be left here to die _just like she should have years ago_

"Didn't you hear me?!" he retorts harshly. "Take Alisa and head back to the Den, damn you! Sakuya! Take charge of the others! Soma, find a way out of here!"

"Daddy... Mommy..." she pleads; for forgiveness or to be left here to die, she can't tell anymore. "I didn't mean it..."

Footsteps again; a familiar voice - Yuu's - calls to her. "Alisa? Are you okay? Can you stand?" She wants to tell him _no, no she'll never be okay never never never_

"Hurry, Lindow!" Sakuya's voice again. "Come with us!"

"I'd like to," he responds, "but I think I'll mess with these guys first... Save some rationed beer for me!" Some part of her is screaming at him, calling him an idiot for fighting when he should run, but not a single sound makes it past her throat. Her body is betraying her again and she can't-

Yuu's presence feels closer now. "Alisa, can you hear me?" he murmurs as he turns her head to look at him; he's knelt down to match her eye level, and she can see the worry and fear in his eyes. "I'm going to have to carry you," he tells her gently and quietly, "but I can't touch your God Arc so I need you to keep your grip on it real tight for me, okay? Can you do that?" She doesn't know how she can muster the energy to nod, but she does and he responds with a strained smile. "That's good, thank you," he murmurs before turning around and angling his body as as to carry her piggy-back style, his arms looping under her legs in an awkward fashion due to his carrying his own God Arc - now in its gun form - with one hand.

Throughout this, Sakuya continues to protest their abandonment of Lindow. "No! Then I'll stay and fight, too!" she yells back, although now everything sounds even more distant than before and the world is blurring into an indistinct mass of shapes and colours. "Sakuya..." Is that Lindow? She can't really tell anymore. "I'm ordering you! Make sure you get everyone home alive!"

"No!" a woman screams. Then there's another voice. "Sakuya, come on! If we stay, we'll all end up dead!" it says, but the woman's response is only to scream once more. "I won't go! Lindow!"

"Goddamnit!" Another voice, rougher than the rest. "Kota, drag her if you have to! You're on rear guard! I'll cut us a path to the truck! Yuu, back us up with healing bullets!" A pause. "You better not die, Lindow! You hear me?!"

Everything from that point on is distorted and makes no sense. Roars. Guns firing. Blue streaks around cruel faces. A blade biting into flesh. Bursts of green glowing light. Unintelligible yelling. The sounds of a large vehicle and someone calling her name repeatedly. The only constant is a warmth she doesn't know but craves if only because it's something safe to cling to. Then that too is ripped away. "Please take care of her," the voice that had been calling her earlier says to someone else before it too vanishes.

"You did well, Alisa." The new voice is familiar in a different way - a bad way. She knows it - it made her do bad things, and now more than ever she wishes that warmth - that other voice - would come back but her body is no longer hers to control. "Now," it continues, and fear grips her, robs her of the last vestiges of strength she did have left, "it's time for good girls to go to sleep."

"No..." she croaks and tries to fight, but her body is so heavy and she has no energy left. Her mind registers a sharp prick on her arm and she manages a final whimper of "Please..." before the abyss claims her.

-xXx-

She is not alone in the abyss.

She knows instinctively who the two people before her are even though their faces and very forms are out of focus like a photograph that has been exposed to the elements for a hundred years. Their clothes are stained red with blood and the smiles that adorn their blurred faces are macabre as they reach for her and grasp her arms, preventing her from running away.

"Remember us, Alisa?" they ask in unison, their voices like metal scraping on metal. "Of course you do, don't you? You're the reason we're dead, after all."

"NO!" she screams as she tries to claw their hands off, but her fingers grasp nothing and her nails scratch at her own skin. She still tries. "You're not them... you're not real! YOU'RE NOT REAL!"

"But we are, Alisa," her mother and father chime as they bring their featureless faces closer. "Saying such things about the people who raised you... such a bad girl you are..."

"And then you caused them to die," a third voice speaks, causing her to look up and see Lindow. "Just like me," he accuses, his usual grin twisted into a cruel smirk.

"It's your fault, Alisa!" Sakuya screams as she steps out of the darkness followed by the rest of the 1st Unit, her gaze full of loathing. "All your fault," Soma echoes, glaring at her hatefully. "Acting like you were better than me and then pulling a stunt like that... you really are something!" Kota sneers, his every word coated in contempt.

It is Yuu, however, who approaches her first, his usual smile replaced with a look of disdain. "I knew you'd screw up the moment I met you," he intones flatly, his voice devoid of its trademark warmth. "I thought that if I helped you out it would fix you, but a lost cause is a lost cause. I see it now... and with this it's clear to see for everyone else too."

It's too much, too much to bear and she tries harder to fight them off. "Don't look at me..." she pleads as she struggles against the clutches of her dead parents and the others move closer. "Just leave me alone... Stay away... Leave me alone... Leave me alone!" she screams.

"Give her a tranquilliser..." There are other voices coming from somewhere in the abyss. "...and change the padding..."

They're surrounding her now, chorusing "You did this" as they close in and and _where is this? Why can't she get away? Why won't they leave her alone?_

"Oh..." she whimpers as they all grab her and pin her in place, all the while repeating those three words over and over again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." she apologises to no avail as they ignore her. "Sorry isn't going to change the fact that you hurt everyone who gets close to you, Alisa," her father admonishes as he tightens his grip.

"Daddy... Mommy... it's not... it's not what you think!" she pleads, tears streaming down her face. A hand cups her cheek and turns her to face her mother. "It's me," she asks in a voice different from her memories. "Do you recognise me, Alisa?" she continues, and the question doesn't make sense - nothing makes sense anymore and _please would everyone just LEAVE HER ALONE_

"You know we can't, Alisa," Yuu answers. "You've killed three people already and you have to be punished."

"I didn't! I didn't mean to do it! You're wrong! It wasn't me! It wasn't my fault!" she protests, renewing her struggle against the hands that are keeping her restrained, keeping her here when all she wants to do is run away, run where they can't see her, can't accuse her with their words and their eyes- but she can't, not with them trapping her with their hands that she can't shake off no matter what she does.

"You have to accept your punishment, Alisa," Yuu continues, his every word cutting deep into her heart. "It's your fault, and you can't run away from that fact."

"Leave me alone!" she begs one more time, trashing futilely as he continues to look on impassively. "You should've just left me alone!" Left her there, left her to die, anywhere but _HERE_

"But we can't leave you alone, Alisa." This time, they all speak in unison and the hands tighten their grip once more. "You hurt people, and that's unforgivable. People died because of you and now you have to pay the price."

There is the sensation of a sharp prick on her arm and she knows - she _feels_ herself losing focus, losing control. "No!" she screams and tries to struggle even as her strength leaves her once again and the hands drag her even deeper into the abyss, all the while as their eyes condemn her.

-xXx-

She doesn't know how long she's been here - it's an endless cycle of _them_ and memories she doesn't want to remember but is forced to relive again and again until everything bleeds together into a mass of guilt and self-loathing as they watch from the sidelines and she wants to escape _please just leave me alone already somebody SAVE ME PLEASE_

Suddenly there is a warm presence, familiar yet not, as if in answer to her pleas, and the accusations, the condemnations just _stop_. She doesn't understand how or why but she doesn't care and just reaches for it-

-xXx-

Her eyelids are impossibly heavy and it feels like it's been forever since she opened them. The light is blinding, further disorientating her and making it impossible for her to figure out where she is. "What?" she rasps, her voice hoarse - from screaming or lack of use, she can't tell. The only thing anchoring her is the feel of a warm hand holding hers, and it takes all of her strength to turn towards the hand's owner.

Yuu - the real one, she realises, not the fake that has been tormenting her - stares back at her, his expression a mixture of relief, surprise and lingering worry even as he continues to grip her hand tightly in his. "Where am I?" she asks, forcing the words past her dry throat regardless of the pain. "Why am I...?"

"S-she actually regained consciousness?" a voice somewhere in the room utters incredulously, causing Yuu to break eye contact to stare at that person and withdraw his hand much to her regret. "Impossible! E-excuse me!" the man says - she should know that voice, but her mind is foggy and she's already losing consciousness - before his departure is marked by the sound of a door sliding open and shut.

Yuu turns back to look at her, concern still visible in his eyes, and she summons the last scraps of her energy to speak to him. "Just now..." she manages to get out, "you..." That is the last word she can say before her strength fails her and she feels herself slipping into the darkness once more.

However, this time the ghosts keep their distance as the lingering warmth of a hand holding hers keeps them at bay.

* * *

I'll admit, this chapter did not turn out the way I thought it would, but then I'm not entirely sure how exactly I expected it to turn out considering the subject matter. Writing it was like walking a tightrope of trying to balance coherency so readers would be able to understand what was going on and the chaos taking place in Alisa's head as her own mind betrayed her. I sincerely hope I did a good enough job, although being so mean to my favourite character in the game is something I don't think I want to repeat ever again.


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